Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Using data from 2005, here's the breakdown of the actual cost in gas:
53% crude oil
19% federal and state taxes
19% refining costs & profits
9% distribution & marketing
Retailers don't have much room to compete... they make much of their profits off of in-store purchases.
The post I was addressing initimated that you had so many choices and could go to another gas dealer! my point was that in reality, the prices are usually the same and they price fix to get as much as they can ( I am not condeming the gas station owner, I like that they are there!)
most of the debt is racked up from wars and defense spending and things associated with defense such as veterans benefits and not to mention the intrest compiled on it over time
Do you care to list a source newer then 10 years old? I mean some of those statistics go back to 1989.. nearly 20 years ago..
most of the debt is racked up from wars and defense spending and things associated with defense such as veterans benefits and not to mention the intrest compiled on it over time
Doesn't matter to me... I feel we should end our occupation of all foreign nations immediately and stop unconstitutional wars.
But the context of the discussion was welfare... and it's not a function of the federal government. I feel private charities would provide more accountability and more efficiency than through the theft of private property for redistribution. Just because it may be 1% of government spending according to the cited source doesn't make it any less unconstitutional.
If we're talking about bigger fish to fry... you're exactly right. It would be one of the last things on my list to move people away from.
The post I was addressing initimated that you had so many choices and could go to another gas dealer! my point was that in reality, the prices are usually the same and they price fix to get as much as they can ( I am not condeming the gas station owner, I like that they are there!)
Much of the cost is associated with the countries that produce the crude oil, like Saudi Arabia. If we want to talk about reducing cost, the first step would be in looking to our own resources rather than relying on OPEC.
Doesn't matter to me... I feel we should end our occupation of all foreign nations immediately and stop unconstitutional wars.
i agree
Quote:
But the context of the discussion was welfare... and it's not a function of the federal government. I feel private charities would provide more accountability and more efficiency than through the theft of private property for redistribution. Just because it may be 1% of government spending according to the cited source doesn't make it any less unconstitutional.
the best way to get rid of welfare is to raise the minimum wage and provide people help to back in school in my opinion
Doesn't matter to me... I feel we should end our occupation of all foreign nations immediately and stop unconstitutional wars.
But the context of the discussion was welfare... and it's not a function of the federal government. I feel private charities would provide more accountability and more efficiency than through the theft of private property for redistribution. Just because it may be 1% of government spending according to the cited source doesn't make it any less unconstitutional.
If we're talking about bigger fish to fry... you're exactly right. It would be one of the last things on my list to move people away from.
Did you even check out his link? It does nothing but prove how bad welfare has become. The link is over 10 years old, listing statistics that are even 10 years older then the link, which stated that welfare was 1% of the budget.. (up to 20 years ago).. today there are estimates that its as high as 75% (although I question if its anywhere near that high.. 75 Percent Of U.S. Budget Is For ‘Welfare State’! - Gordon Bishop - Nov 28, 03 (http://www.americandaily.com/article/1656 - broken link)) Either way, no one can argue that we have increased the amount of welfare programs in existance without refusing to look at all the facts.
the best way to get rid of welfare is to raise the minimum wage and provide people help to back in school in my opinion
How do we provide people help to get back into school without starting yet ANOTHER welfare program offering to pay all of the schooling? Evidence has shown that every single time they raise the federal limits on PELL grants and loan programs the cost of schooling goes up. Some schools have $20+ Billions sitting in the bank and they continue to raise tuition yearly to keep inline with the federal grants and loans, making it harder for those who dont qualify for these grants to afford school.
Have any of you welfare freaks that continue to claim that welfare is necessary to help people "get back on their feet" ever driven through a housing project during the middle of the day?
.
No, but I had a very close family member whose children were able to eat while she did get back on her feet after a messy divorce thanks to food-stamps. It was a proud day for her when she was able to call me up and tell me that she no longer qualified, and no, I did not have enough money to feed her children. I also visited a food pantry with her once, their meager supplies were certainly not sufficient for what she needed.
I think that a lot of people who call those of us who actually would like to see a social safety net in our society 'welfare freaks' probably have had very little experience with poverty on a personal level.
Additionally, as one mentioned before, destroying the social safety net in a heavily armed country like ours that is home to a large concentration of very wealthy people could have some social ramifications we might not want to think about too much.
I think that a lot of people who call those of us who actually would like to see a social safety net in our society 'welfare freaks' probably have had very little experience with poverty on a personal level.
I have the exact opposite impression. Those I know in real life that feel the government shouldn't be involved in wealth redistribution were the very ones that came from poverty and have risen above it.
The thing that continues to blow my mind is that most liberals think that being opposed to government redistribution of wealth equates to a person not wanting to help those less fortunate. Most people agree that there are people who can not help themselves due to mental or physical problems, and there are others that fall upon bad times and just need a helping hand to get back into the game.... but we think that government is not the answer.
Maybe that's why conservatives on average donate more time and money to charity... while liberals talk about confiscation of wealth for redistribution. One group feels that they are empowered to do something about it, while the other feels they are powerless without government being their nanny.
Balderdash! I saw no charity or conservative group willing to help out the person I knew who desperately needed housing and food when she was without options. Churches would put a band-aid on the situation, food pantries just had a few cans of stuff. There was no low-cost childcare offered by anyone so that she could work and get back on her feet.
I should have known better than to come into this thread and read the postings of those who just assume people starve in the streets, I'm so steamed now I need to step away for a bit.
I am completely mystified at the notion that private charity is the answer. Please direct me to a single society in which that has been successful, I'm curious to know where this mysterious world is.
But go on, keep focusing on the poor, as if they are the real resource hogs in this country and look the other way while we poor trillions in to wars and bail out corporations who make poor decisions as a result of the greed of their shareholders.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
